Digital images generated by, for example, digital cameras or scanned photographic film, are capable of being uploaded to a web site for online photo sharing. For example, such images may be stored in online albums for sharing with others. A group of these digital images can be viewed and selected for printing utilizing a web browser. A user may select the size of each print to be produced and the quantity of prints to be generated from each image.
Some photo sharing applications offer a variety of photo product templates with place holders for customer-supplied images. The majority of prior art photo product template processing systems provide a variety of template styles (i.e., typically of low resolution) to a customer via a home computer or, for example, a photo kiosk. Such templates possess pre-existing images and/or text thereon with one or more open fields for the addition of customer image and/or text data therein for customizing the template into a finished print. These types of templates can act as a mask that is capable of being placed over one or more images and typically include selections of essentially the same template in different colors. Such prior art template processing systems lack the ability to allow the customer to make any modifications they desire. For example, a customer may wish to use different color set to the template at various locations and orientations before customizing the photo product. However, existing template processing systems cannot accept any modifications beyond the pre-existing image and data fields in their specified locations on the template. Also, such prior art designs can act as a barrier to rapid document selection for a print shop's customer, while also restricting choice for modifications.
Based on the foregoing, a need exists for an improved system and method for processing digital photo product template. A need also exists for providing enhancements to personalized photo product to enable greater flexibility when selecting options for the photo product template.